Horror start to Christmas road safety campaign

THE Sunshine Coast has had a shocking start to this year's 55-day Christmas Road Safety Campaign with two serious crashes this weekend.

The first fatality of the holidays happened on Saturday night when a 44-year-old Burnside man died in a crash at Diddillibah.

Police said his motorbike was travelling south on Diddillibah Rd when it left the road and hit a power pole aboutt 10.30pm.

Another 52-year-old motorcyclist who suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash in the hinterland on Saturday morning remains in the Royal Brisbane Women's and Children's Hospital after he was airlifted on Saturday.

The man suffered multiple injuries including a head injury and a compound femur fracture (upper leg) when he crashed on Mooloolah Connection Rd at Mooloolah Valley,

Further north, a man suffered serious injuries after he was left trapped in his car in a single vehicle crash at Curra on Saturday night.

The man, believed to be in his 20s and the sole occupant of the car, went through a fence at the corner of Kintyre Ct and Gleneagles Dr at about 8.40pm.

According to a Police Media spokesman, the man was struck by a metal picket.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said emergency responders had to remove the side of the vehicle and his seat to free the man before he was airlifted to Royal Brisbane Hospital.

The Christmas holiday road campaign which kicked off on Friday is a bid to reduce the number of road fatalities which hit 33 in 2015.

Sunshine Coast District Officer Superintendent Darryl Johnson has urged residents and visitors to the Coast to stay safe, be patient and show respect to everyone in the community.

"We live in one of Australia's most popular tourist destinations and that means a large influx of visitors from right across the country will descend on the Coast to celebrate Christmas and New Year here," he said.

"We want to ensure everyone has a happy and safe festive season and not one tarnished by road trauma.

"Over the Christmas and school holiday period, police will be out in force targeting drivers putting themselves and other road users at risk by breaking the law."

Superintendent Johnson said police will be out in force this season conducting drug and alcohol testing as well as implementing many speed enforcement strategies.

Mayor Mark Jamieson asked motorists to be patient if the roads are a little busier than usual.

"We urge everyone to consider the Fatal Five contributing factors to road fatalities when getting behind the wheel of their vehicle," he said.

"These include speeding, drink and drug driving, failing to wear a seatbelt, driving tired and being distracted such as using a mobile phone while driving.

The 2016/17 Christmas Road Safety Campaign will finish on January 27 to coincide with the school holiday break.